An Escape From

Greece

NEW Guinea was well represented in this story of the adventures of a band of Australian soldiers in Greece, as told by the correspondent of Sydney “Sun”:— Sixty-nine Australian soldiers who arrived in a Middle East port in June aboard a British destroyer are the cen tral figures in one of the most amazing dramas of the Greek campaign.

Captain Robert Vial, formerly of Cam berwell, Victoria (and a brother of a New Guinea ADO) shared with Captain Philip Woodhill (a well-known officer of the Crown Law Department, Rabaul) the task of guiding the small force to safety through almost incredible perils.

The English brigadier told the assem bled officers that he considered further resistance useless. He invited any offi cers and men who did not wish to sur render to leave the Kalamata area by 5 a.m.

Captain Vial explained the position to the Australians under his command, and asked if any wished to join him in a forlorn attempt to escape further down the coast.

“We followed the coast along a trail made by goats,” said Captain Vial.

“Then we reached a cove in which lay a ketch, anchored about 400 yards from the beach. As bad luck would have it, we were all ready to leave when three Ger man planes appeared overhead. Incen diary bullets set the ketch afire, and there was nothing for it but for every body to get ashore as best he could.

“The remainder of the men then formed into column again and set off once more on their trek along the coast.

Some villagers escorted us to the village of Taikheila, where we learned that a number of British troops were some miles further south.

“An English colonel greeted me,” said Captain Vial. “He had no good news for us. He told me there were no boats available, but that a watch was being kept for warships.

“We were wakened in the morning by the Greek peasants, who came running to the church to tell us that the Ger mans were advancing rapidly and were only six hours distant in one direction and one and a half hours distant in another direction.

“Everyone of us decided we wouldn’t surrender without making another bid.

As this stage some of the English troops decided to join us and cast in their lot with us in the last bid for freedom.

“We went bush and, as soon as it was dark, went back to Taikheila. We decided to sleep on the beach and posted pickets at either end. At about 3 a.m., one of the pickets aroused me and whispered that lights were flashing offshore.

“I rowed out in the dinghy and found a British destroyer. As rapidly as pos sible, everyone on the beach was taken off. the total of 110 men including 69 Australians.”

Mr. A. Brennan, of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission, Ramu, Central New Guinea, accompanied by Mrs. Brennan and their daughter, arrived in Sydney recently on leave.

Miss J. Bremner has taken up duties at Apia Hospital, Western Samoa, as nursing sister.

Mrs. Lily Butler, widow of Mr. J. H.

Butler (a former well-known Suva jeweller), died in Suva recently. She was 70 years of age and had lived in Fiji since she was a baby.

Monsieur Andre Delaplane, a French planter in the New Hebrides, who now is a member of the Free French Forces in New Caledonia, was married recently at Noumea Cathedral to Mile. Jacqueline de Fillel.